daylight - percy jackson¹

006

I was woken up to the sound of camera flashes.

Usually, it was a comforting thing to hear. It meant I was back at home, giggling with my friends as we watched yet another high-fashion show, the photographers pushing and shoving each other to get the best shot. 

It would've been comforting, except for the fact that I wasn't home. I wasn't with my best friends, and I was on a quest with a strange group of demigods somewhere in the middle of the country. 

"Oh my Gods." Thalia wheezed, the first time I had heard the girl sound so carefree. "Wait until Annabeth gets a hold of these. She's been betting on those two ever since Isabella got to camp."

I kept my eyes shut, pretending to still be asleep. The first thing I noticed was my position- I was no longer in the driver's seat, but in the backseat instead. Percy was gone from the passenger's side, too- but the brown coat wrapped around me was his. 

Grover laughed with the daughter of Zeus. 

"Percy and Isabella Valente. I couldn't have predicted that."

I blinked my eyes open, curious to see what they were talking about, and oh my Gods.

I was sleeping cuddled up to none other than Percy fucking Jackson. 

Percy had woken up at the same time- which resulted in some very awkward eye contact.

"I- um- what happened?" He stammered, a blush beginning to rise in his face.

Thalia and Grover paused their picture-taking, freezing and staring at us.

They are so done for.

I shot up from my place next to Percy, pushing through the open car door and reaching for Thalia's camera. She was thought quicker, however, and sprinted away before I could reach her.

"Thalia, I swear to the Gods, burn it!"

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

After the whole Apollo/Aphrodite incident, we'd arrived on the outskirts of a little ski town nestled in the mountains. The sign said WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO. The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny.

I was freezing by the time we got to Main Street, which was about half a mile from the train tracks. As we walked, I talked to Thalia to try and pass the time. She told me about the lost girl- Annabeth- which just ended up making her all gloomy. From what I'd heard, though, it sounded like Annabeth was a great person. Somebody worth saving.

I tried not to get too depressed about our chances. I knew we had another huge deadline looming, aside from saving Artemis in time for her council of the gods. The General had said Annabeth would only be kept alive until the winter solstice. That was Friday, only four days away. And he'd said something about a sacrifice. I didn't like the sound of that at all, even if I hadn't known her personally.

We stopped in the middle of town. You could pretty much see everything from there: a snow-coated school, a bunch of tourist stores and cafes, some ski cabins, and a grocery store.

I sighed in appreciation for the simplicity and beauty of it all.

"Great," Thalia said from beside me, looking around. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out."

"There's a coffee shop!" said Grover.

"Yes," Zoe said. "Coffee is good."

"And pastries," I said dreamily, my stomach growling.